Safe Haven
by Chibi-Akarin
Summary: Yes, Eragon left Alagaësia in search of a new home for the dragons. When he and the elves who accompanied him finally reach their destination, however, will it really be the haven they expected, or will this foreign land have some problems of its own?
1. Chapter 1

Okay, so I posted the first chapter as more of a prologue, but I am updating it so that all of this will hopefully give you guys a reason to read further. Thank you so much for all the helpful advice from those that reviewed! One thing, though, is that I am having trouble describing Middle Earth and the surroundings because it isn't my creation. I'm scared of getting something "wrong", you know? Well, I guess getting past that is just another part of writing~ Again, I own nothing but a few necessary OCs who will have little to no impact on anything.

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The sea spray stung Eragon's eyes as a strong gust of wind propelled the _Talíta_ ever further into the great expanse of blue green water that had revealed itself several days into the company's quest. Eragon was shocked to find that another ocean awaited them on the eastern edge of Alagaësia. The world was round, and perhaps there were multiple continents. The peoples currently inhabiting Alagaësia had to come from somewhere, after all, since nearly none were native to the land. He hoped they reached land soon, however, for there was only so far Saphira could fly before exhausting the energy the Eldunarí supplied her with. He grew more concerned, for the food supply he and the elves accompanying him had prepared had significantly diminished during their, as of yet, week-long voyage. The_ Talíta _sailed smoothly onward, for the enchanted elven craft never rocked. Blödhgarm and his spellcasters sat near the prow of the ship, cradling several unhatched dragon eggs and singing ancient lullabies. Eragon once more contented himself to chatting idly with Saphira, even if it was merely a distraction to stop himself from dwelling on his and Arya's rather emotional parting. No, he wasn't going to think about it. There was time for that when his head cooled a little.

The days grew hotter as the tiny ship continued to drift onward. It soon became apparent that they didn't have much time left before Saphira collapsed of exhaustion. Giving her all the energy he had to offer, Eragon lay on the deck to conserve his own strength.

_Give me no more of your energy, Little One. I can manage well enough on my own_, Saphira protested.

_I can lie here safely on this boat, so you need it far more than I. Don't protest anymore and just accept it. Please, Saphira..._, Eragon begged. _I have more than enough to spare._

She huffed and said no more, for she did in fact need it desperately. Another day passed like this, and Eragon began to despair. Would they survive? It became more and more unlikely every minute. Just when all hope seemed to be lost, one of the elves cried out in excitement.

"Land! Land ahead! Our journey has finally yielded rewards!" Her musical voice was a breath of fresh air after the prolonged silence that had fallen over the group. Clutching his head as a wave of dizziness passed through him, Eragon rushed to his feet and bounded toward the prow of the ship. There was indeed land ahead! Saphira roared in joy and increased her speed ever so slightly so as to reach the sandy beach faster. Eragon couldn't stop the smile that grew on his face as he admired the beauty of the land they had come upon. The beach itself was shallow, but the thin strip of pure white sand was unblemished and majestic. His gaze quickly traveled to the grassy hills that seemed to welcome tired legs with open arms. As the ship traveled ever closer, a line of trees materialized in the distance. They were different from the tall pines of Du Weldenvarden, perhaps oak trees. Small paths led in and out of the forest, most likely animal trails.

They jumped off the ship and into the shallow waters when the party got close enough, pulling the _Talíta_ ashore so as to prevent it from being carried away, for there was no suitable dock in sight and they were desperate to venture on land. Saphira had crashed into one of the grassy hills and could barely keep her eyes open. Blödhgarm sniffed the air, his blue fur rustling in the breeze.

"It would be wise to camp here for now, Shadelslayer. Saphira cannot go on any longer and we must explore the area," he said. Eragon agreed, suggesting they take shifts while others ate and rested. Alüwei, the female elf who first spotted land, suggested that she and Blödhgarm take the first shift. The first priority for everyone was food. As similar as they seemed, the plants on this strange land were different than those of Alagaësia. Combined with the elves' strict vegetarian diet, this made acquiring food slightly difficult. Extending his mind for the first time since their arrival, Eragon touched upon the minds of all the creatures around them. It did not take long for him to locate a herd of deer, or at least he thought they were deer. They were smaller and more slender than the deer he was familiar with, but similar enough that he still felt comfortable classifying them as such. After a few minutes, Saphira raised her mighty head and gazed in their direction. With great effort, she lifted herself and sprung toward them, eating her fill. A mere five minutes later, she dumped a large buck in front of Eragon.

_These weaklings were no match for a great hunter such as I_, she said. _Here, you need your strength._

_The elves would frown upon it, _He replied.

It did not take her long to respond._Then the elves can stick to their grass. No one is forcing them to be rational._

_I suppose so. Besides, no one is asking them to accompany me. It really can't be that bad once in a while, right? _Staring at the buck, Eragon's gut growled and any reservations he had instantly dissolved. Making a small fire, he began roasting strips of meat. The two other elves that had stayed in the camp stared at him with loathing. Ignoring the uncomfortable atmosphere, he quickly ate almost everything. It was true that he tried to avoid meat whenever possible, but it was just not always possible.

Saphira was already asleep as the sun began to set, snoring as elegantly as a dragon could. Blödhgarm and Alüwei had returned with food of some sort, and the entire company sat together. The four elves watched the horizon in silence, ears alert for the slightest sound. Eragon sighed and leaned against his partner of heart and mind, settling into a comfortable position. As he reflected on recent events, he hoped that this strange, warm place would provide a good home for the future riders. He couldn't stop the sense of dread that something was off, though. It had taken them far too long to reach this place. Even with the help of the Eldunarí, Saphira had barely made it here. How were younger dragons supposed to survive the distance, and all alone to boot. It was simply impossible. There was no suitable region in Alagaësia for them to settle, though, and the continent had ended far earlier than any had expected. There was no place else to go. Perhaps Solembum was wrong, and he would one day return to his homeland? It would be nice to see Roran and Katrina again. Hopefully Ismira would grow into a beautiful, healthy girl. Again, Eragon quickly dismissed such thoughts. Thinking of family so soon after leaving would bring only grief. Now, the rider needed his rest. Tomorrow was to be an exciting day, for the company would get a chance to really explore the land. Taking comfort in Saphira's warmth, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Eragon enjoyed the smell of the forest. Everything was fresh and untouched, left to its natural state. The elves seemed to value this just as much as he. Saphira could care less, though. She was content to fly above it without a second though.

_It has been too long since we have flown together_, she thought.

_So it has. We are flying together now, though._

_As it should be, _she replied. Blödhgarm and his elves ran below them as they circled the great expanse of forest. They would have to move more inland until they found a suitable place to raise the dragons, for a forest was too constricted. The air was refreshing, carrying the smells of the land. Eragon's feelings of hope and promise rekindled as the group traveled on, and they didn't have to travel long. After a mere three or so hours, a small mountain range came into view. The mountains surrounded by forest would be the ideal location to call home, if the area proved unpopulated and everything was as it appeared. Luckily, that had been the case thus far. The thoughts of contentment traveled unspoken through the party. They investigated the area a bit more, and found it perfectly deserted of civilization. Everything seemed just too perfect to be true.

_No,_ Eragon reminded himself, _it isn't perfect. The distance between here and Alagaësia is far too great. _Then the thought struck him, what are we to call this new land? He voiced his question to the elves, only to be met by quizzical expressions.

"What are we to, indeed, Shadeslayer?" asked Alüwei. She tucked her long dark hair behind her ear, and studied the mountains a bit more. Turning to Blödhgarm, she asked if they should consider a name in the ancient language. Blödhgarm shook his head at her.

"This land is surely inhabited, even if we have not found anyone yet. They have their own names for things, I'm sure," he replied.

"Well, have we at least decided that these mountains are a candidate for our homeland?" asked Eragon.

"Perhaps, but we will need to investigate further before making any hasty decisions." At this, Saphira volunteered to scope out the area. She had become quite taken with the scenery of the mountains in the short time they had been there. Everyone thought that would be best, and the two took off. She circled the mountains for quite some time, and Eragon probed them with his mind. He felt no malicious presence, or any at all really, above the levels of larger animals. None of the animals he encountered were any threat in size or nature, either. The location seemed to be truly perfect. It was not until this point, however, that Blödhgarm's comment really sunk in.

_This land is surely inhabited, even if we have not found anyone yet._

This was true. If dragons really were to inhabit the mountains here, they would have to pose no threat to local inhabitants. There had to be people of some kind, whether elf, human, dwarf, urgal, or some other race never seen before in Alagaësia. They had to find out exactly how far away civilization was before any final decisions could be made. Reporting back to the elves, Eragon explained this necessity.

"Yes, I was thinking much along the same lines. Just as it was faster for you and Saphira to explore the mountains, so should it be for you to fly several days around them," replied Blödhgarm. Then, turning to Saphira, he asked, "Would it be too much to ask of one so great as yourself, Brightscales?"

_No, elf. I would be more than glad to. Every precaution must be taken for the eggs,_ she agreed. By then, the sun was setting once more, and Eragon thought it wise to camp for the night before exploring more uncharted territory. It was so that the party's second day in this mysterious land ended.

Eragon awoke to the grey mists of dawn, for the sun had not yet climbed into view. The blue-grey light was peaceful, yet somehow unsettling in its beauty. Saphira raised her head, and Eragon noticed that the elves were already awake. Nodding in silence, he ate some of the food they had prepared the night before and leapt up onto Saphira's back. After strapping himself in, he barely had time to grab the neck spike in front of him before she took off. They knew that there was nothing but ocean to the west, so they decided to head north and circle back around in the east. The trip was fairly uneventful, and the two enjoyed their alone time together. At around noon, they saw a roaring river in the distance. Deciding that the wide natural barrier would be enough to stop contact, thy began to turn toward the east. Leaving the mountains, the two enjoyed hours of unchanging grassy plains. The third day was fading fast as Saphira expressed sudden surprise.

_Ahead, Eragon! Do you see it?_ she asked. It took him a moment before he gasped as well.

_Is that a farm?_ he exclaimed. Excitement welled up in him, and, as much as he wouldn't admit it, joy to see someone (hopefully) other than the elves. The farm was small, about the size Garrow's had been in Carvahall.

_Should we talk to them?_ asked Eragon, wanting confirmation from Saphira.

_Of course! _

_Wait... what if they have never seen a dragon before? It would be shocking._

_Let it shock them, then_, she replied.

_Can I talk to them first? Just in case?_ It took a while for Saphira to grudgingly acknowledge the suggestion.

_You can still experience everything through my mind later,_ Eragon added.

_Fine, little one, but if they try to kill you, I am not responsible. _They both laughed at this. It was Saphira's theory that Eragon fell into some life threatening situation whenever they were apart, which was true. Then again, though, when were they _not_ in a life-threatening situation? Saphira landed on the outskirts of the farm, leaving Eragon alone while she headed back toward a large hill in the distance. It didn't take long for Eragon to notice that everything on the farm seemed to be smaller than it should.

_Perhaps dwarves farm in this strange land_, he mused, then quickly dismissed the thought. The mental image of Orik in overalls was enough to bring any similar idea to a swift death. Due to the smaller scale of things, it took him less time than he had originally anticipated to reach the center of the farm. Eragon was puzzled when he couldn't seem to locate a house of any kind. After a while, he realized that the small hill a few meters away had a door in it. The door was perfectly round, painted green, and had the most intricate designs carved into it. There were two small round windows on either side, illuminated by flickering candlelight. Without giving himself time to speculate on the oddity, he approached and knocked on the door. Eragon was hesitant to mentally probe the inhabitants, for who knows what they were. He kept his mind carefully guarded, though. He heard the sound of a chair sliding against wood flooring, a few light footsteps, and then braced himself for his first encounter with civilized life. The door swung inward, revealing a very small person. This person was perhaps the size of a medium-short dwarf, but significantly less stocky. He, for he appeared male, had curly brown hair and freckles that covered his entire face. He wore simple clothes, as expected of a farmer, but no shoes. The most noticeable aspect of the person were his large, bare, hairy feet that looked rather dirty.

"Erm, and who might you be?" asked the person, after a few moments of simply taking each other in had passed.

"Ah, pardon my rudeness," said Eragon, "I am Eragon Bromsson. I was wondering, well... where exactly this is?"

"Where? You don't even know where you are?" the person asked, shocked. "This be the outskirts of Far Downs! Even a Big Person such as yourself ought to know something so simple!"

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Well, that was the first chapter. I am really inspired by reviews, so if you want a continuation, please let me know!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Chapter 2. I am trying not to develop it too quickly, but I don't really know how else to go about it... again, I am really open to tips and suggestions to improve my writing. Thanks! I own nothing but my few necessary OCs. Also, sorry it took so long to come out with this. Finals happened, you know. Well, school is over now, so i can write a lot more~ No promises, though.

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"Erm, and who might you be?" asked the person, after a few moments of simply taking each other in had passed.

"Ah, pardon my rudeness," said Eragon, "I am Eragon Bromsson. I was wondering, well... where exactly this is?"

"Where? You don't even know where you are?" the person asked, shocked. "This be the outskirts of Far Downs! Even a Big Person such as yourself ought to know something so simple!"

"Oh, well, I appear to be lost. If, you don't mind, um..." Eragon realized he had never asked the person's name.

"Alfie Boffin. Pleasure to meet you, Eragon Bromsson. Well, I must say, you are lucky you came here. You see, us Boffins are more used to Big Folk like yourself than most of the hobbits in Far Downs. We have a fairly good relation with that Bilbo Baggins, you see. Boffins, Bagginses, and Tooks have always gotten along well. Ah, that's it! You must be here for that grand party those Bagginses are throwing! All sorts of strange folk have been coming in, I hear! It really is a wondrous thing, isn't it? An eleventy-first birthday isn't something you get to celebrate every day, you know. And that Frodo Baggins, too. Thirty-three! He really has grown into quite the respectable gentlehobbit! Thirty-three... I remember my thirty-third birthday. Nigh on ten years ago, that was. It wasn't a large affair or anything, no, but us Boffins are the modest sort, see? Not to imply that large parties are wrong in any way, as we love the Bagginses dearly. No, no, none of those nasty rumors have spread by the mouth of a Boffin. It's all the doing of those Sackville-Bagginses, I say. Had their eyes on the place for years, Bag End, I mean. Now that Mister Frodo has the claim to it, and rightfully so, who knows what those Sackville-Bagginses will do. Anyway-"

"Sorry, Mr. Boffin, but would you mind if we had this conversation inside?" Eragon had to interrupt the, erm, hobbit, here. If not, he feared the little person would go on for another hour easily.

"Of course, of course! What am I doing? Come in and I shall give you the directions to Hobbiton," replied Alfie. With that, he stepped back to allow Eragon room to enter. Ducking beneath the low doorframe, Eragon saw the full extent of the home. It was simple, yet comfortable. The walls were decorated with several paintings of grassy hills, presumably completed by a family member. The furniture was sparse, save for wooden tables, chairs, and the occasional overstuffed armchair. Seated at the kitchen table was a female hobbit around the same age as Alfie. She smiled warmly at Eragon, and he was glad he had indeed encountered such kind people. From the hospitality, size, and chosen location, Eragon would not be surprised to learn of relation to dwarves. He even speculated that these hobbits might be the ancestors of the dwarves of Alagaësia. Perhaps he was wrong, though, and he did not speculate any further. The next of his thoughts were of guilt. Eragon did not want to deceive the hobbits, but his hosts were already convinced he was here to attend this party they spoke of. It was actually the perfect cover, but what was he to do about Saphira? His thoughts were interrupted by the female hobbit.

"Why don't you have a seat, sir?" she said. Her voice had a familiar ring to it, which put Eragon at ease.

"Yes, yes, of course. This is my lovely wife, Lobelia, by the way. Lobelia is a Brandybuck," began Alfie. Eragon smiled, and sat on the floor. The chairs were much too small for him. Perhaps his old self might have been able to sit in them, but he had grown taller since the Blood Oath Celebration. Eragon listened to the family history for quite a while, and grew drowsy after accepting a pint of ale. It was significantly stronger than most of the drinks back home. By the time Alfie pulled out some sort of pipe, it was well into the night. Eragon decided to interrupt at this time, reminding the hobbits about his "purpose".

"Well, it is getting late, and it would be much appreciated if I could get directions to the party," Eragon asked, attempting to sound like he knew what he was talking about.

"Right! It is late, isn't it? Stay the night, Eragon. We are in fact heading into Hobbiton for the party ourselves tomorrow, and would be more than happy to take you," said Lobelia. Eragon wanted desperately to see Saphira at that point, but also desired to know more about this culture. Alfie had mentioned other "Big Folk" coming in to town, and Eragon couldn't pass up this chance. He took them up on the offer, and awkwardly positioned himself on the cushions and blankets they put out for him. Deeming it safe, he reached out to Saphira with his mind.

_Finally! I have waited far too long, Eragon!_

_I know. I'm sorry, let me explain. _With that, he shared his memories of the past few hours with her.

_This is incredible! _she exclaimed. _This new land is just as civilized as Alagaësia, if what I have seen is to be trusted. How are you going to attend this party, though? Will not the host recognize you as a stranger?_

_This seems to be a rather large party, very large, and I think I can blend in alright. Worst case scenario I escape or use magic. Speaking of which, I should contact Blödhgarm. _Eragon got up, and quietly crept out of the house. The Boffins had gone to bed, and no one would be the wiser. Chanting a word in the ancient language, drops of water rose from the soil and formed a clear, still pool. The moon reflected in the water, making it almost glow. Whispering more still, it was not long before the elf's face appeared. Eragon greeted Blödhgarm in the traditional greeting, and the blue elf returned the courtesy. It did not take long for Eragon to inform him of the day's proceedings, and the shock was evident in his expression. Eyes shining, Blödhgarm took a moment to ponder the turn of events.

"It was wise of you to blend in as such, for such an opportunity may not present itself again. These hobbits are indeed too close to these mountains for comfort, and we will make haste to your location. Worry not, for we shall stay in the shadows until a moment arrives where we may make ourselves known. If one does not arrive, so be it. Try to acquire a map of at least the immediate surroundings from your hosts, so that we may continue our journey inland, Shadeslayer," Blödhgarm said.

"Yes, I shall. I am eager to learn of the other races here, as well as their customs. May this land be peaceful," Eragon added, saying goodbye to the elf. The pool was soaked back into the earth, and he got up to return to the house.

The next morning, the Hobbits rose early to prepare a wagon pulled by a small sandy-colored pony. Eragon helped load it with various supplies, though the two did not bring much. Alfie explained that it was customary for the host of a party to provide for their guests, and spent the beginning of the journey wondering what sort of presents the Bagginses would hand out. He then went on to give more of a history on The Shire, the region of Middle Earth that Eragon now found himself in, and he came to the conclusion that hobbits were very lovely people to know. The journey took them through more rolling, grassy hills which eventually began to level out into flat farmland. Eragon had to make up a lame excuse as to why he kept scanning the sky, for he was concerned that Saphira would follow them. It had taken a lot of effort to convince her to stay behind and wait for the elves, and he didn't entirely trust her on this matter.

Their travels came to a conclusion around noon, when Eragon saw a few hills in the distance with front gates attached to them. Lobelia acknowledged that this was indeed Hobbiton, and she wanted to pay her respects to the Bagginses first thing. Bag End was right past Sandyman's Mill on the way into town, so it wasn't a detour at all. They were struck with a large sigh declaring "No Entry Except On Party Business," though, and were forced to head straight to the home of the Hobbiton Boffin family, where Alfie and Lobelia were to stay. They dropped Eragon off at the Party Field, where he bid them farewell. Eragon received many strange looks from the other hobbits, but it was very interesting to observe them. Some children were who were hiding behind a distant tree eventually approached him and asked if he had any fireworks. Eragon replied that he didn't know what fireworks were, and that he was sorry to disappoint them. He hung around for the rest of the day, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. It wasn't that difficult, with all sorts of people coming and going around the Party Field, finishing setting up stalls and tents. Eragon did in fact manage to catch a glimpse of a red-bearded dwarf, which very much shocked him. The peoples of Alagaësia _must_ have come from Middle Earth after all.

As the hour of the party drew closer, crowds of people began arriving at the field. Eragon went in with them, and decided that this was his golden chance to make acquaintances in this new world. Taking a deep breath, he approached a tall, elderly man managing a cart of colorful, candle-like objects.

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A/N: Hooray for the completion of another chapter! Hope it wasn't too awful or OOC. Well, whether it was or not, please review and tell me how I can improve


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